Therapeutic machine



May 18,1943 F. E. HALL THERAPEMIC' momma 'med Jim 24. 1940 Patented May 1s, 1.943

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THERAPEUTIC MAOHINE Franklin E. Hall, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 24, 1940, Serial No. 341,990

4 Claims.

My invention relates to medical apparatuses and more particularly to special types of freezers and cold applicators, which are especially adapted to apply cold to and freeze organs and parts of organs of the human and animal body and has for its object to aid the medical, dental and veterinary profession in the art of anesthetizing, healing, curing of diseases and operating on organs of such bodies.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement whereby internal organs of the human body, such as, stomach, womb, nose, throat, brain, bladder, rectum, lungs may be reached and may be frozen at any given place for healing or curing it from diseases of infectious or non-infectious origin such as tumors of benign and malignant character.

Other objects and advantages will be seen from the following description of the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a freezing apparatus combination;

Fig. 2 is a side view;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail of applicator for treatment of tonsils;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of acold applicator especially adapted for treatment of teeth;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a cold applicator in shape of a needle;

Fig. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention with a gastroscope.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the present embodiment as shown in Fig. l and Fig. 2, the frame work of the cold applicator apparatuses is shown as comprising a base I supported on wheels 2 and a top 3 to hold the cold applicator and auxiliary instruments.

The electric motor A compressor 5 the condensor 6 and the receiver tank 1 may be of any type used in ordinary small coolingand refrigeration units and need not be described any further.

The inlet check valve 8 effects a near even pressure in the distributor 9 from which any desired number of cold applicator instruments may be supplied with refrigerant medium through pressure tight flexible tubings l2 communicatively connected to said distributor by conduit l l. The above mentioned flexible tubings l2 pass through a collecting chamber Ill into pressure tight flexible tubings 2| of larger diameter and are contained within said tubings the entire length and extend into and terminate within the expansion chamber of the cold applicator instrument.

The cold applicator instruments shown in illustrations comprise a high pressure conduit I 3 communicatively connected to intake flexible tubings I 2, through which refrigerant medium is delivered to the expansion chambers l4, l5, l6, ll, 18 and I9 where due to evaporation cold is produced. Said expansion chambers are communicatively attached to return pipes 20, which flexible return 'tubes 2l-, collector I0, and return pipe 22 communicatively connect with the compressor 5 and so complete a closed circuit for the refrigerant medium.

The cold applicator instruments are of such sizes, forms and shapes to be suitable for possible approaches and shapes of organs to be treated by cold application.

Referring to the drawing to illustrate some of the forms of the cold applicator chambers it will be seen that the cold applicator chamber [9 in Fig. 1 is provided with a convex surface symetrically arranged in relation to the center line of the return pipe 29. This type of an instrument is especially adaptable for operations on the skin and body surfaces, while the needle shape of the cold applicator chamber I8 is used for operations on the brain, under the skin, in cavities, etc.

The chamber l4 shown in Fig. 2, resembling Hegars cervical dilator, will be preferably used for cold treatment in cavities such as rectum, vagina, womb, etc.

Fig. 6 illustrates a novel arrangement of a gastroscope comprising a tubular casing, a telescope 21, an electric light with reflector 28,an air passage tube 3| and a cold applicator I! for coldtreatments in the stomach. The arrangement of thea'bove' mentioned cold applicator in relation to the optic apparatus is such that after the inflammation or place to be treated in the inflated stomach has'been determined, the stomach will be deflated so that the infected area comes in contact with the cold applicator. From the description of the above embodiment it will be understood, that similar arrangements are workable in combinations of a cold applicator with a cystoscope, bronchoscope, proctoscope and alaryngoscope. The cold applicator instrument presented in Fig. 3 is provided with an arcuate conduit rod 20! and a chamber l5 having a concave surface following up in the same direction as the arc of the conduit rod and is especially adaptable for tonsillar applications, Fig. 4 illustrates the form and shape of a cold applicator chamber for teeth and gum treatments, said chamber having two extensions communicatively attached to same.

Insulated holders or handles 23, 24 protect the hands of the doctors or physicians operating with said cold applicator instruments.

During the operation of the diapexis apparatus gaseous refrigerant is compressed, condensed and delivered through the high pressure intake tube and tubular conduit to the evaporator chamber where cold is produced for medical treatment. The expanded refrigerant continues to flow through the low pressure return tube to the collector chamber I and to the compressor and so completes a full circulation cycle. The flow capacity of the refrigerant medium is controlled by expansion or check valves and other well known means, which can be set to maintain a near even desired pressure in the di ibuto The expansion or evaporator chambers of the cold applicator instruments are constructed of the best heat and cold conducting materials such as silver, copper, etc., while the high pressure conduits and the return tubes are made of metal or material suitable for their construction and of low heat or cold conducting capacity such as stainless steel, hard rubber, etc.

The electrical heater 25 will fit over the conduit tube 20 of the cold applicator instrument, to defrost the outside of expansion chamber by heating the circulating refrigerant medium in the conduit rod, thuspermitting release of the frozen tissue from the cold applicator instrument. Electricity is provided through an electric cord 26 and is controllable by Well known means, and enabling the operator of the apparatus to defrost at will.

In the above described embodiment it was assumed that the refrigerant medium was supplied through a compressor unit. If the cold treatment is of small character and if the apparatus is to be used away from the usual place for operations a lighter and simpler apparatus is desirable. This type of an auxiliary apparatus as shown in Fig. 1 comprises a refill bomb 32 supplying the refrigerant medium' for the cold applicator chamber 19 through a flexible tube 33 and a high pressure conduitv S3. The expansion chamber is provided with a suitable exhaust pipe 35 and a valve 34 to control the flow capacity of the escaping refrigerant medium. A closed circulation of refrigerant medium is not possible in such an arrangement, without additional equipment.

The thermostatic expansion ring 36 is connected through a pressure tube 37 filled with fluctuating liquid to an automatic pressure valve 38 for further control of the flow velocity of the refrigerant medium, by actuation of said pressure valve.

Liquid air, carbon dioxide snow, etc., inserted into the cold application chamber through the high pressure conduit l3 will also produce cold in said chamber for topical treatments.

From the foregoing description itis apparent to those skilled in the medical art, that various changes may be made in my apparatus without departing from the spirit of the invention and,

therefore, I do not limit myself to What is shown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A therapeutic apparatus including a cold applicator comprising a hollow member, an expansion chamber therein, an exterior metallic application surface thereon, the wall of the hollow member being bounded on one side by the application surface and on the other side by the expansion chamber, means for introducing expansible fluid to the expansion chamber, at high pressure and suddenly expanding it entirely within the expansion chamber adjacent the application surface and for then discharging the expanded fluid at low pressure from the expansion chamber, and electrically activated means exteriorly disposed with respect to the applicator and independent of the cooling means for heating the applicator to defrost it for ready removal from body cavities.

2. A therapeutic apparatus including a cold applicator comprising a hollow member, an expansion chamber therein, an exterior metallic application surface thereon, the wall of the hollow member being bounded on one side by the application surface and on the other side by the expansion member, and being composed of a material of relatively high thermal conductivity, a supply pipe fixed in position inside of and out of contact with the Walls of the chamber, terminating in a discharge nozzle adjacent the wall forming the application surface, the supply pipe and nozzle being composed of material of relatively low thermal conductivity, means for introducing expansible fluid to th expansion chamber at high pressure and suddenly expanding it entirely within the expansion chamber adjacent the application surface and for then discharging the expanded fluid at low pressure from the expansion chamber, and electrically activated means exteriorly disposed with respect to the applicator and independent of the cooling means for heating the applicator to defrost it for ready removal from body cavities.

3. A therapeutic apparatus including a cold applicator of such size and shape as to be adapted for convenient insertion into body cavities, there being an expansion chamber within the applicator and a metallic application surface outside the applicator and immediately adjacent the expansion chamber, means for introducing an expansible fluid under pressure to the expansion chamber, there discharging and suddenly expanding it entirely within the expansion chamber adjacent the application surface and means for then discharging the expanded fluid at low pressure from the expansion chamber outside of the body cavity into which the applicator has been inserted.

4. The process of applying thermal treatments to body cavities and the like which consists in defining within the cavity a gas tight expansion zone, introducing an expansible fluid into the expansion zone, suddenly expanding the fluid entirely within the zone and then discharging the expanded fluid from the zone and conducting it to a point outside of the body cavity.

FRANKLIN E. HALL. 

